The purpose of this tool is to calculate the price of your object, in the same way the site does it for you, but without the hassle of uploading, waiting etc
The interface, except volume/area calculation, is updated in real time.

Please be aware, that the calculation times grow exponentially with polygon count.
You can abort execution any time by pressing the ESC key.

Not sure which MAX versions work, just try it and let me know.
Please treat this code with respect. Suggestions and modification are welcome, but please keep the main repository here.
Questions, request, bugs etc are all very welcome in this topic or through Private Messaging.

Cheers,

Stijn

3D Max Shapeways Calculator v1.1!
New screenshot will follow later.

DOWNLOAD LATEST
This version got a major overhaul, please let me know if I broke something

How to

Start 3d Max

Load your favorite object

Goto menu : MAXScript->Run script...

Find and open "ShapewaysCalculator.ms"

Click "Calculate" !

Play with all the options, try materials, markups, scaling etc

Please give feedback here

The floater interface should speak for itself, I tried to keep it as intuitive as possible, and in line with the Shapeways website.

Known Bugs and Limitations

It only works with single object meshes, not with groups, or multiple selected. Please use utilities -> collapse.

NO built-in meshmedic So overlapping or non-manifold meshes might produce different values than shapeways.

V1.1 New features

Major update to config, incompatible with old version.

SO OLD CONFIG WILL BE OVERWRITTEN ON FIRST RUN

Layout changes/condensing

Added object density

Added bounding total

Added link to (selected) material page

Time to loose beta label

TODO (maybe)

Export and Upload interface to Shapeways API (any help for this module?)

Save/sync some more settings to ini, not everything sticks yet.

Todone

Updateable configuration Beta8

Remember settings Beta8

Currency calculator/Pricing in Euros Beta5

Try to make it more compatible with older max versions Beta4

Unit flexibility - currently the script sets all units to mm where possible Beta5

Manifold check/STL/Other model checks Beta4

Add boundary checks for a given material Beta2

Beta11 New features

Crash fix

Beta10 New features

Docking now configurable via ini file (default=left) (Try the "EDIT" button under config to see ini)

The current version is written in maxscript, the internal scripting language for 3d max, pretty straightforward with al the 3d functions.
I don't really know meshlab or accutrans, so I have no idea if they support plugins and in what format. I had a quick look and it didn't look like it, but I could be wrong, anyone with more expertise on these programs or other programs ?

I was thinking of writing a version for a good free easy to use 3d program, but I have to find a friendly "host" and get to know it, before I could write a sensible plugin. But there is of course the blenderscript by Loonsbury which solves that
(I wish I had the time to switch to/learn blender.. max sucks sometimes , but you don't throw away 10 years of knowledge/experience/habit )

I have been thinking about a standalone application, but this would entail a whole lote more research/work. Since it would also require file format support, 3d parsing and everything.
I don't have the time for that, I also want to model !

And I would think Shapeways has the best angle of providing a desktop application, since they already have the server version

Most of us are modelers and hobyist.
Having a job and also spending alot of time on modeling or writing a app like you did makes it extra hard.
The hours at night count double or even triple........the frustrations are at least triple .
Therefore don't forget to model and having fun in that.

I was wondering, why does the volume-calculation (without any other checks) take so long? When using 3dsmax's own Measure-tool (under Utilities -> Measure) the volume is calculated in real time. I assume you've used a different algorithm, but why is that?

Hi there,
The simple answer is : maxscript IS slow
Unfortunately there is no way I can get access to the info from the measure tool from within maxscript, the only workaround is to do the calculation inside the script itself, which is just terribly slow. The actual algorithm is the same, I think.

Glad you like it ! Should you find any bugs or have ideas for improvements, just let me know !

v1.0 will arrive by the year 2100, or was it 2010, I forgot.
And the price will be an arm and a leg.

Nah, it's my gift to the shapeways community.
But rating of my latest models is always appreciated :Latest models
And since I have more ideas than money, I created theTriMatrix Special Unlimited Sponsor Edition
It has an increased markup, through which people can help and support this struggling artist

C:\User\Seth\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\2012 - 64bit\enu\plugcfg\
is given to the script by your max program.
And is where the virtools.ini should be.

It is probably a hidden path. If you paste that into your explorer you can still browse it.

I'll see if I can find an easier install path for the config.

And because the config is not loaded there is no material info or max dimension -> everything bigger than zero is rejected.
Perhaps I'll look into error handling.

I've posted the address into windows explorer and it still says "Windows can't find". I've tried deleting directories all the way down to AppData and it props the same error. Curious, this is an admin account if those folders are only created when using multiple UAC's. Any other suggestions?

[Updated on: Tue, 31 May 2011 03:53 UTC]

http://twitter.com/#!/avandius - There is no right way to create something, modeling is all about deceiving reality.